With winter's heavy rain and occassional snow comes the threat of landslides.

"As the rainy season begins in Seattle, residents and homeowners need to be alert that the chance of having landslides greatly increases," said Bill Benzer, City of Seattle Landslide Expert. "The soil will be saturated, which reduces slope stability, but certain measures can be taken to help protect yourself and your property from landslides."

The Take Winter by Storm campaign is urging property owners of landslide-prone sites to clear drains and take other simple measures on their property, such as:

Checking downspouts, to make sure they are functioning and routed to a safe location.
Inspecting sloping areas for indications of slope movement (such as cracks in the ground, and newly tilting trees) and erosion.

Keeping fill and yard waste off slopes.

Shutting off the irrigation system and checking it out seasonally.

Leaving tree stumps in the ground on slopes.